College scholarship deadlines are approaching

This is the time of year when students about to graduate from high school should be “doing their homework” on the many college scholarships that are available. Unfortunately, many students pass up these opportunities because they don’t know about them, or they wait until it’s too late to apply.

We want to make sure that as many students as possible take advantage of the scholarship opportunities available, before it’s too late. Feb. 15 is the deadline to apply for 47 of the scholarships that we offer. That’s not much time, considering the need to gather recommendation letters, transcripts and other documentation.

Our online application process allows students to browse the list of scholarships available to find the ones for which they qualify, and then use one application to apply for them all. Start out at www.saafdn.org and click on the “Scholarships” tab at the top of the home page to find our two lists of scholarship funds.

Applicants should read the criteria for each fund closely, because many of them are specific to geographic areas, high schools, fields of study, parents’ employers, volunteer hours, or other details. Some scholarships are set aside for students who are “unable to attend college without financial assistance.” Others have more general requirements, meaning a larger number of students who would qualify.

Since the San Antonio Area Foundation awarded its first scholarship in 1969, the Area Foundation has given out $12 million in scholarships, including $800,000 in 2011.

Please help spread the word about the scholarships available through the San Antonio Area Foundation. Share this information with counselors, teachers, parents, students and any others who may find it useful. Let’s help as many students as possible because elevating the education level of our community benefits us all.

Bernice Uresti is the Program Officer for Scholarships for the San Antonio Area Foundation.